Glaucoma Awareness – Early Testing and Detection

Glaucoma has no symptoms and therefore it is often referred to as the sneak thief of sight. Patients with glaucoma experience no symptoms until the very late stages of the condition. Late stage glaucoma is characterized by profound vision loss.

Glaucoma Prevention

I am often asked by patients “I have a positive family history. How can I prevent myself from getting glaucoma?” The answer is early detection. We do this by being properly screened during your eye exam.

During your eye exam take advantage of the Comprehensive Digital Retinal Exam technology which allows us to take high-resolution panoramic and ultrasound images of the eye. These technologies combine hundreds of high-resolution images giving us a 3-dimensional view of the optic nerve. Some retinal nerve cells are more sensitive to glaucomatous changes than normal retinal cells. These retinal cells are called ganglion cells and when it comes to glaucoma they are kind of like the canaries in the coal mine. Ganglion cells are usually the first to signal early glaucomatous changes.

Yearly Eye Exams Reduce Blindness

By having yearly eye exams and comparing these digital images over the coming years, we look for subtle changes. Eye doctors usually diagnose glaucoma by noticing these subtle changes in the optic nerve over time.

Keratoconus Day is November 10

November 10 is National Keratoconus Day. Keratoconus is an ocular condition causing debilitating decreased vision in approximately 1 in 400 to 1 in 2000 Americans. Below is a brief overview of keratoconus. For a complete review of keratoconus, including background information, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis can be found here. Spread the word and help someone with keratoconus.

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus develops when the cornea becomes progressively thinner. The cornea is made of collagen fibers. The collagen fibers in a patient with keratoconus do not have links between the fibers. This causes the collagen to be weak. Over time, the weak collagen fibers allow the cornea to become thin and progressively steeper. This change in shape causes the cornea to take on an irregular shape which is poorly corrected with glasses.

How is Keratoconus Diagnosed?

During a regular eye exam, your eye doctor will be able to tell if you have keratoconus. Corneal topography is usually used to confirm a diagnosis of keratoconus.

How is Keratoconus Treated?

Keratoconus doctors agree contact lens are the treatment of choice. Various types of contact lenses are used to treat keratoconus; however, the best success, comfort, and vision is achieved with scleral contact lenses.

Finding a Keratoconus Doctor

If you have keratoconus or know someone that does have it the Keratoconus Doctors have over 25 years of experience in treating patients with keratoconus and irregular corneas.

Back to School Eye Exams are Critical to a Child’s Classroom Success

As we prepare to send our children off to school we remember to schedule our immunizations, replace the clothes they’ve outgrown and run through the list school supplies; however, it’s easy to overlook our children’s vision. A back to school eye exam is essential to a child’s success. Afterall, over 80% of what a child learns is through what they see yet over 86% of children have never had an eye exam.

The link between learning and eyesight is compelling. Eye exams that include a thorough assessment of a child’s vision and ocular health are crucial for children of all ages. Set your child up for a successful school year. Start a great tradition with a back to school eye exam. Poor eyesight can adversely affect a child’s educational performance and social development.

Important facts to consider;

The American Optometric Association states that 60% of children identified as having learning difficulties have undetected visual problems.

Uncorrected or insufficiently corrected vision leads to an accelerated rate of progression in a child’s nearsightedness.

Vision problems affect one out of twenty preschool age children. Untreated visual problems can worsen leading to other more serious behavioral and learning problems.

A Back To School Eye Exam Is More Important Than Ever

As adults, we spend hours a day looking at our small digital devices; however, our children spend even more time on their digital devices. Time spent on cell phones and tablets have a significant impact a child’s vision, by creating an environment conducive to increasing nearsightedness and an increased exposure to blue light. New technology in contact lenses has made it possible to prevent the progression of nearsightedness in children. Advances in ophthalmic lens coatings now making it possible to block certain harmful wavelengths of light emitted from digital devices and computer screens.

Relief is at Hand

Right when we want to free ourselves of glasses and enjoy the warmth of summer, the dry, air-conditioned air makes our dry eyes worse making it more difficult to wear contact lenses. Symptoms of dry eye syndrome peak during the summer months. Thankfully, the doctors at Total Eye Care have achieved great success in treating patients with dry eyes and now have many new dry eye treatment options that were not available only a few years ago, including a new, patented nutritional supplement clinically proven to help patients with dry eyes.

Common Symptoms of Dry Eyes

Do your eyes bother you at the end of the day?

Do you look forward to taking your contact lenses out at the end of the day?

Are you light sensitive?

Do your contact lenses feel ok when you put them in, but as the day goes on they feel worse and worse?

Have you tried numerous types of contact lenses only to give up because all of them bother you?

Are your eyes often red and gritty?

If any of these situations sounds like you, meaningful relief is available. There is no need to continue putting up with chronic discomfort. Using artificial tears is not enough. Fortunately, comfortable vision is available to you with many of the new dry eye treatment options available.

Dry eye syndrome treatment does not have a quick fix for symptomatic relief; rather it requires a systematic, proven approach to enhance our patient’s comfort and vision. Successful treatment often involves multiple methods to provide optimal comfort for both contact lens wearers and non-contact lens wearers alike.

Effective treatment may involve a change in contact lens type or modality, preservation of your own tears, nutritional supplements, prescription medications or even changes in contact lens solution. In some cases, a non-contact lens wearer may actually find wearing the right kind of contact lenses, in association with other treatments, markedly improves their comfort. Effective dry eye treatment requires a systematic approach from an expert familiar with all aspects of the condition.

Total Eye Care’s Dry Eye Experts are Here to Help

As you can see we have many treatment options available to us. The doctors at Total Eye Care have helped countless patients recover from the problems associated with dry eyes. If you would like to experience the better comfort available with the new dry eye treatments contact the dry eye experts at Total Eye Care, relief is only a phone call away.

The Keratoconus Doctors website is now available. Over the years Total Eye Care has developed a sub-specialty in keratoconus treatment. We now have a website dedicated to those patients.

Free Primer Available – The Patient’s Guide to Keratoconus

We also have a primer on keratoconus, “The Patient’s Guide to Keratoconus“. It answers most of the common questions patients ask and the most important things for them to know. We will continue to update it as technology and standards of care continue to evolve. Some of the items covered are

How is keratoconus treated

What are the risks/benefits of surgery vs contact lenses

What treatment options are available

When is surgery recommended

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus involves a progressive thinning of the cornea. It is estimated that 1 in 2000 people have keratoconus; however, some estimates are as high as 1 in 500. In most cases, successful keratoconus treatment is accomplished with specially designed contact lenses. At Total Eye Care, we specialize in providing care to these patients.

Posted onJuly 9, 2016|Comments Off on Preventing Nearsightedness in Children

Preventing Nearsightedness in Children is Possible

We are in the midst of an explosion in the number of nearsighted (myopic) children. A 2002 study on the rate of nearsightedness in the United States showed a 41% increase in the number of nearsighted Americans compared to the original 1972 study. On average, a child in the U. S. will see an increase in myopia of .62 diopters per year. Fortunately, current research shows preventing nearsightedness in children is possible with great success.

A great deal of research is currently underway to determine what makes us more nearsighted and what might be the most effective method of preventing nearsightedness in children. Much of the latest research in preventing nearsightedness in children is being done in China. Over 70% of Chinese children under 15 are now myopic. Needless to say, the Chinese government is putting a lot of resources behind the treatment and cause of the Myopic Epidemic.

What Makes Us Nearsighted?

Your genes do play a significant role in the type and degree of prescription you have. However, it’s not all genetic, environmental factors also appear to provide a strong influence in modifying your genetic propensity to progressive myopia. Even though our genetics may predispose us to being nearsighted there are things we can do to modify this trait. The majority of a person’s nearsighted prescription occurs during childhood. Therefore, finding ways of preventing nearsightedness in children is currently the most effective method of slowing the myopic epidemic.

Preventing Nearsightedness in Children is Possible With FDA Approved Lenses

We should only rely on methods based on sound scientific studies to guide us in finding and using effective treatments in preventing nearsightedness in children.

Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology involves the use of a contact lens that acts as a corneal mold (the cornea is the clear window covering the colored part of the eye) which changes the shape of the eye. The orthokeratology lens causes an optical effect known as peripheral defocus which reduces the stimulus to progressive nearsightedness. Orthokeratology has been FDA approved since 2002. Studies show orthokeratology reduces the rate of myopic progression up to 90%. This shape change has been clinically proven to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children.

An Ohio State University study showed that orthokeratology slowed the rate at which the eye grows longer. Keeping the eye from growing longer is a key factor in preventing the progression of nearsightedness. Other studies, conducted all over the world including the United States, China and Europe, have shown rates of reduction between 50% and 90%. Orthokeratology provides a clinically proven, effective means of preventing nearsightedness in children.

Pharmacology

Orthokeratology and atropine therapy show similar rates of myopia prevention. Atropine is a medication discovered in the 19th Century. It is still used today for both systemic and ocular conditions. In the eye it is used to dilate the pupil and to freeze the eye’s ability to focus. Atropine is a proven, time tested method of reducing the progression of nearsightedness in children.

For over 40 years atropine has been the mainstay of myopia prevention. Due significant side effects, such as light sensitivity and near vision blur, the treatment drop-out rate with Atropine is high. Studies show however, low dose Atropine is almost as effective as full strength Atropine. Low dose Atropine is easily tolerated by patients. At Total Eye Care we will often combine Atropine therapy with specially designed myopia control orthokeratology lenses. We believe this combination is currently the most effective method of preventing nearsightedness in children.

Behavior

Changing how we go about our daily activities can affect the progression of nearsightedness in children. Studies have shown children that spend more time outdoors are less nearsighted. Breaking up the day to day routine by spending time outdoors, away from near centric activities is helpful in preventing nearsightedness in children.

Busting Myopia Myths

Under-Correction

Not prescribing the full prescription or under-correcting nearsighted prescriptions is easily the most common myopia myth. A Chinese study prescribed glasses to approximately 300 school age children. Half of the children were given the full prescription and the other half were under-corrected. After only 18 months the study was terminated early because the under-corrected group’s myopia accelerated at a much faster rate than the fully corrected group. Under-correcting a nearsighted person’s prescription, not wearing prescribed glasses, and wearing an outdated prescription all lead to thicker, stronger prescription. Wearing current, accurate prescription glasses is the first step in preventing nearsightedness in children.

Does The Bates Method Work

The short answer is a resounding no. The Bates Method is ineffective in preventing nearsightedness in children. The Bates Method has a lot of unfounded support in social media. Dr. Bates was an early 19th century ophthalmologist.

What is the Bates Method

Bates hypothesized that various techniques, such as resting the eyes and pressing your palms (palming) to your eyes would reverse myopia. The Bates Method has been tested extensively, using scientific methods, and has been shown to have no affect on the reduction or reversal of myopia in adults or children. More information on the Bates Method can be found in Dr. Driscoll’s Book “An Eye Doctor Answers: Explanations To Hundreds Of The Most Common Questions Patients Wish They Had Asked” along with extensive information about effective, scientifically proven methods of preventing nearsightedness in children.

How Do I Learn More About Dr. Driscoll and the Myopia Prevention Program at Total Eye Care

By incorporating proven myopia reduction orthokeratology lens designs and atropine therapy we greatly reduce the rate of myopic progression in children. By reducing a child’s myopia, we also reduce their lifetime risk for numerous ocular conditions such as glaucoma and retinal detachment. Putting a once self-conscious, glasses wearing child, or teen, into contact lenses is a life changing event. Making the transition from glasses to orthokeratology or traditional contact lenses is one of those “moments” in a child’s life they will always remember and for which they will always be grateful. As parents we know the importance of instilling a sense of self worth and self esteem in our children. Transitioning a child from thick glasses to contact lenses helps to achieve just that.

What is OrthoKeratology

OrthoKeratology is an FDA approved procedure that improves a person’s vision without surgery, glasses, or daily contact lenses. Many patients refer to it as “braces for your eyes”. Summer provides a great opportunity to start an orthokeratology program for your child. Imagine enjoying sports like swimming, gymnastics, and dance without the use of contact lenses or glasses. The nearsighted prevention benefits provide a tremendous added bonus to a summer orthokeratology program.

OrthoKeratology Prevents the Progression of Nearsightedness

It’s great being able to enjoy life and sports in general without contact lenses or glasses; however, a significant benefit of orthokeratology is that it has been clinically proven to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. Numerous studies have shown the rate of myopia reduction is between 50% to 90%. A landmark study on the rate of myopia in the US was completed in 1972. This study found that 25% of the US population was myopic (nearsighted). A follow up study completed 41 years later found the rate of myopia in the United States had increased to 41% of the population. Complete analysis of these two studies can be found here in this earlier TheEyeDocBlog.com entry. High myopia increases a person’s risk for many conditions such as glaucoma and retinal detachment. By decreasing a child’s amount of nearsightedness we are decreasing their risk for these, and many other, conditions.

FDA Approved Technology

Overnight orthokeratology was approved by the FDA in 2002. This was game changer for orthokeratologists. Prior to overnight orthokeratology’s FDA approval, patients would wear their retainers every other day, which was not ideal. Now patients wear their lenses at night, removing them upon waking and enjoy good vision all day, every day. We are often asked if the vision correction lasts more than one day and yes it does. If a patient forgets to wear their lenses one night their vision is still good the next day. Skipping a day of wearing your vision retainers may not result in a second day of 20/20 vision, more likely 20/25 or 20/30; however, very good, functional vision is still maintained. It takes days and most often weeks for the vision to return to the pre-treatment level.

What Do Patients Say?

The first thing we hear from patients after they have undergone OrthoK is that they can’t believe it works. “My daughter put her lenses in when she went to bed, she took them out when she woke up and says she can see fine” is a common theme. Another common topic is “why haven’t I heard about this before” and there are many reasons for this.

Quite simply, there are well under 1000 active orthokeratologists in the United States. With orthokeratology experience matters and there is a significant learning curve in becoming an orthokeratologist. New optometrists and ophthalmologists receive very limited orthokeratology training in school. Dr. Richard Driscoll has been an active orthokeratologist since 1999, helping countless patients achieve good vision without the use of daily contact lenses, surgery, or glasses.

How Does Orthokeratology Work?

Adult patients, kids, and parents alike express amazement at how we can alter or mold the shape of their corneas with a contact lens, resulting in clear vision during the day without the need for glasses. It’s not magic, the science is very well established and FDA approved. We remold the cornea into a shape similar to what is done with LASIK. The difference is that Ortho-K achieves this without the use of a laser and it does not remove any tissue; therefore, it is reversible, and easily modifiable.

Total Eye Care has participated in numerous studies and clinical trials concerning the role of the eye as a window into many “invisible illnesses”. We are happy to say the culmination of much of this research can now be found in The Driscoll Theory® which is currently available as a downloadable PDF.

As many of you know, Dr. Diana Driscoll (optometrist at Total Eye Care) became disabled by one of these “invisible illnesses” in 2008. Diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and “POTS” – postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, she began a quest to discover the underlying cause of this dramatic and disabling condition. Not surprisingly, many signs of the underlying problems could be located within the eye, thus that is where her research began.

The doctors at Total Eye Care continue to be especially interested in “invisible illness” and believe many patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (or M.E.), fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme disease and EDS/POTS suffer with similar symptoms and signs – many of which are visible in the eyes. By locating these problems, correct treatment can begin, and the condition can be reversed.

Bifocal Lenses in Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study Begins

The National Institutes of Health awarded the University of Houston College of Optometry and the Ohio State University College of Optometry $7.5 million to study the use of soft bifocal contact lenses in the prevention of nearsightedness (myopia) in children. The Bifocal Lenses in Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study will follow 300 children, ages 7 to 11 years of age over a period of 3 years. The Ohio State University College of Optometry previously published the Corneal Reshaping and Myopia Study in a 2009 issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology where it found that orthokeratology lenses were effective in preventing the lengthening of the eyeball in children which in turn slowed the progression of nearsightedness.

Myopia Regulation Treatment at Total Eye Care

Do you have a family history of nearsightedness? Are your kids nearsighted? Would you like to prevent the progression of myopia in your kids? Summer is a great time start Myopia Regulation Treatment. If you would like more details you can set up a free consult with Dr. Driscoll.

More information about orthokeratology can be found at the OrthoKDoctor.com website.

People often think of an eye exam as how you update your eye glass or contact lens prescription. More importantly, it is a very effective way to provide early detection of systemic conditions. Readers Digest recently published this article on conditions that are often first diagnosed by an eye doctor.